LA SALLE UNIVERSITY

OZAMIZ CITY
Civil Engineering Department

CIV 321

Name: Mark Andykenn L. Maglinte Instructor: Engr. Grace T. Dolloso

Date Performed: June 23, 2021, 2021 Date Due: June 23, 2021, 2021
Group No.: Grade:

EXPERIMENT NO. 7

DENSITY AND UNIT WEIGHT OF SOIL IN PLACE

BY THE SAND-CONE METHOD
(ASTM D1556/ AASHTO T191)

Objective:_To determine soil or base material density and its unit weight to make sure
it meets the specification for the project.

Discussion/Significance
In certain cases, it is necessary to determine the density and/or unit weight of a
soil either as it exists naturally in the ground or as it may be completed in a fill. In the
former case, the density of soil in place may be used to evaluate the comparative
strength of the soil; in the latter, the unit weight may be used to document results of
field compaction to meet contract specifications. The principal use of the in-place soil
unit weight test is in documentation of field compaction.

In practice, representative samples of the soil to be used for fill material are
subjected to laboratory compaction test to determine the optimum moisture content
and maximum dry weight. The maximum dry unit weight is used by designers in
specifying design shear strength, resistance to future settlement, and permeability
characteristics. The fill soil is then compacted mechanically in the field, by field
compaction methods to achieve the laboratory maximum dry unit weight (or a
(percentage of it). In order to determine whether the laboratory maximum dry unit
weight (or an acceptable percentage thereof) has been achieved, in-place soil unit
weight tests must be performed in the field on compacted soil.

Apparatus/Supplies
1. Density/unit weight apparatus: Jar (4 liters capacity) with detachable appliance
consisting of a cylindrical valve with an orifice and having a small funnel
continuing to a standard mason jar top on one end and a large funnel on the end.
The valve shall have stops to prevent rotating the valve past the completely open
or completely closed positions.
2. Base plate: A square or rectangular metal plate with a flange center hole cast or
machined to receive the large funnel (cone) of the sand cone apparatus.
3. Sand: A clean, dry, free-flowing, uncemented sand having maximum particle size
smaller than 2.0mm (No.10) sieve and lessthan 3% by weight passing No. 60
sieve; the uniformity coefficient (Cu = D60/D10) must be less than 2.0.
4. Balances: One with a 10-kg capacity and accuracy to 1.0 g, and one with 500g
capacity and accuracy to 0.1g.
5. Drying equipment: Oven with temperature control or other suitable equipment for
drying samples to get the moisture content.
6. Digging Tools: chisels, hammers, picks and spoon.
7. Miscellaneous equipment: suitable containers for retaining density samples,
moisture samples, and salvaged density sand.

Procedure

A. Determination of Volume of Density Jar

1. Weigh the assembled apparatus and record.
2. Place the apparatus upright and open the valve.
3. Fill the apparatus with water until it appears over the valve.
4. Close the valve and remove the excess water.
5. Weigh the apparatus and water.
6. Repeat the procedure described in steps (1) to (5) at least twice.
7. Compute the volume of the container for each trial and get the average.

B. Determination of Bulk Density and Unit Weight of Sand to be used in the

Field
1. Place the empty apparatus upright on a firm level surface, close the valve and fill
the funnel with sand.
2. Open the valve, keeping funnel at least half full of sand, fill the apparatus.
3. Close the valve sharply and empty excess sand.
4. Weigh the apparatus with sand.
5. Perform at least three bulk-density determinations and calculate the average. The
maximum variation between any one determination and the average will not
exceed 1%.

C. Determination of Mass of Sand Required to Fill Funnel (Sand Cone) and Base Plate

1. Put sand in the assembled apparatus and secure mass of the apparatus and sand.
2. Place the base plate on a clean, level, plane surface. Invert the apparatus and seat
the large funnel into the flanged center hole in the base plate, and mark and
identify the funnel and plate so that the same funnel and plate can always be
matched and reseated in the same position during testing.
3. Open the valve fully and keep open until the sand stops running, making sure the
apparatus, base plate, or plane surface are not jarred or vibrated before the valve
is closed.
4. Close the valve sharply, remove the apparatus, and determine the mass of the
apparatus with remaining sand, and calculate the loss of sand. This loss represents
the mass of sand to fill the funnel and base plate.
5. Repeat the procedure in (1) to (4) at least three times. The mass of sand used in the
calculations shall be the average of three determinations. The maximum variation
between any one determination and the average shall not exceed 1%.

D. Determination of the Soil Density in Place

1. Select a location/elevation that is representative of the area to be tested.

2. Inspect the cone apparatus for damage, free rotation of the valve, ad properly
matched base plate. Fill the cone container with conditioned sand for which the
bulk-density has been determined and determine the total mass.
3. Prepare the surface of the location to be tested so that it is a level plane. The base
plate may be used as a tool for striking off the surface to a smooth level plane.
4. Seat the base plate on the plane surface, making sure there is contact with the
ground surface around the edge of the flanged center hole. Mark the outline of the
base plate to check for movement during the test, and if needed, secure the plate
against movement using nails pushed into the soil adjacent to the edge of the
plate, or by other means, without disturbing the soil to be tested.
5. In soils where leveling is not successful, or surface voids remain, the volume
horizontally bounded by the funnel, plate and ground surface must be determined
by a preliminary test. Fill the space with sand from the apparatus, determine the
mass of sand used to fill the space, refill the apparatus, and determine the new
initial mass of apparatus and sand before proceeding with the test. After this
measurement is completed, carefully brush the sand from the prepared surface
(Note 1).

Note 1 – A second calibrated apparatus may be taken to the field when this
condition is anticipated (instead of refilling and making a second determination). The
procedure in (5) may be used for each test when the best possible accuracy is desired;
however, it is usually not needed for most production testing where a relatively smooth
surface is obtainable.

6. Dig the test hole through the center hole in the base plate, being careful to avoid
disturbing or deforming the soil that will bound the hole. Test hole volumes are to
be as large as practical to minimize errors and will in no case be smaller than the
volumes indicated in table 1 for the maximum size of soil particle removed from
the test hole. The sides of the hole should slope slightly inward, and the bottom
should be reasonably flat or concave. The hole should be kept as free as possible
of pockets, overhangs, and sharp obtrusions since these affect the accuracy of the
test. Soils that are essentially granular require extreme care and may require
digging a conical-shaped test hole. Place all excavated soil, and any soil loosened
during digging, in a moisture tight container that is marked to identify the test
number. Take care to avoid losing any materials. Protect this material from any
loss of moisture until the mass has been determined and a specimen has been
obtained for a water content determination.

TABLE 1 – Minimum Test Hole Volumes and Minimum Moisture Content

Samples Based on Maximum Size of Particle

Maximum Particle Minimum Test Minimum Test Minimum Moisture

Size (mm) Hole Volume Hole Volume (ft3 ) Content Sample, g
(cm3 )
4.75 710 0.025 100
12.5 1420 0.050 250
25.0 2120 0.075 500
50.0 2830 0.100 1000
7. Clean the flange of the base plate hole, invert the sand-cone apparatus, and seat the
sand-cone funnel into the flanged hole at the same position as marked during
calibration. Eliminate or minimize vibrations in the test area due to personnel or
equipment. Open the valve and allow the sand to fill the hole, funnel, and base
plate. Take care to avoid jarring or vibrating the apparatus while the sand is
running. When the sand stops flowing, close the valve.
8. Determine the mass of the apparatus with the remaining sand, record and calculate
the mass of sand used.
9. Determine and record the mass of the moist material that was removed from the
test hole. When oversize material corrections are required, determine the mass of
the oversize material on the appropriate sieve and record, taking care to avoid
moisture losses. When required, make appropriate corrections for the oversize
material using ASTM D4718.
10. Mix the material thoroughly, and either obtain a representative specimen for
water content determination or use the entire sample.
11. Dry and weigh the moisture sample and determine the water content.
12. Remove the sand from the test hole, clean for future use.

Conclusion:

In conclusion from the experiment done, the unit weight of the dry sand is
1,495.06 kg/m3. The dry density of the soil used is 1,305.72 kg/m3 while the wet
density is 1,495.05 kg/m3. Moreover, the Optimal Moisture Content (OMC) is 14.55%
while the degree of compaction needed is 83.49%.

Illustration:
 LA SALLE UNIVERSITY
OZAMIZ CITY
Civil Engineering Department

CIV 321

Name: Mark Andykenn L. Maglinte Instructor: Engr. Grace T. Dolloso

Date Performed: June 23, 2021, 2021 Date Due: June 23, 2021, 2021
Group No.: Grade:

EXPERIMENT NO. 7

Worksheet for Field Density Test

Kind of Material: Spec’s Item No.

Test Hole: Location:
(Station & Reference to Centerline)
Representing__________________________________________________________
(Layer No.) (Depth) (Station to Station) (Width)

Tested by: ___________________________________________________________

(Name & Designation) (Office) (Date)

Computed by: _________________________________________________________

(Name & Designation) (Office) (Date)
__ _ __

Unit Weight of Air-dry Sand

1. Container full of water, kg. ____7.0______

2. Container, kg ____2.75___ _
3. Water, kg (1) – (2) ____4.25___
4. Volume of container, m3 (3)/1000 __4.25x10-3_
5. Container filled with air-dry sand,kg ____9.104___
6. Air-dry sand, kg (5) – (2) ___6.354_____
7. Unit Weight of dry sand, kg/m3 __1,495.06____

Actual Moisture Content

Trials
1 2
8. Container + wet soil, g _ 155.77_ 139.79 _
9. Container + dry soil, g _137.27_ _123.34
10. Moisture loss, g (8) –(9) __18.5__ __16.45
11. Container, g _10.12_ __ 9.5
12. Dry Soil, g (9) –(11) _127.15_ _113.84 _
13. Actual Moisture Content, (10)/(12) x 100 % _14.55__ _14.45_ _
14. Ave. Actual Moisture Content, % _______14.5_____ _
Mass of Sand to fill funnel

15. Container filled with air-dry sand, kg 9.865

16. Container with remaining sand, kg 8.815
17. Weight of sand to fill funnel, kg (15)-(16) _____1.05______

FIELD DENSITY TEST

18. Total materials taken from hole, kg --------------------- 6.21

19. Mass of container + air-dry sand, kg --------- ---------- 9.835
20. Mass of container + sand after pouring, kg------------- 3.325
21. Sand to fill hole, kg. (19)-{(20)+(17)} ----------------- _____7.56________
22. Gross volume of hole, cu.m. (21)/(7)------------------ ____5.0567 x 10-3__
23. Wet density of soil, kg/cu.m. (18)/(22)------------------_____1,495.05____
24. Dry density of soil, kg/cu.m. (23) / 1+ (14) 100 -------____1,305.72_____
25. Laboratory compaction test

a) Maximum dry density, kg/cu.m. ____1564_________

b) Optimum Moisture Content, % ____ 14.55_________

26. Degree of compaction, % (24/25a) x 100 ---------------- ____83.49_____

__ _ __

MARK ANDYKENN L. MAGLINTE ENGR. GRACE T. DOLLOSO

Student’s Signature Instructor’s Signature
Over Printed Name